I miss those days. Flying somewhere was really an occasion. Now it's so strict and boring.

Yes i miss the old days of flight

There was an airline in California called PSA. They had flights every hour between LA and San Francisco. I could decide at the last minute to fly. I would show a credit card to the gate agent as the plane was about to leave. She would let me board. Once airborne, a stewardess would sell me a ticket.

#10 Is myself.

Free Food !!??!! I'd settle for a cup of coffee.
The last time I flew you got a soda and a very small bag of chips.

I was just commenting to someone about getting dressed up to go to church. At one point the Pastor quipped "as long as they come to service". Nowadays it seems to be run more like a business.😔

So true 😔

I didn't fly until the late 70's, although I did fly on a PanAm shuttle from NYC to Boston once and we did the stairs and tarmac thing. But I fondly remember being able to go right to the gate. My dad had to go to New Mexico for months at a time back in 1971. It was so exciting to wait for him to get off the plane and see him come out of the "tunnel" into the gate. I miss those days. 😕

If I can't drive there, I'm not going. Flying nowadays is too much of a hassle.

One more thing you'll never find at an airport again: me.
I remember when flying was fun.
I remember when airline personnel treated you as if you were a customer, and not a burden.

My first "Meeting at the gate" was in San Antonio for Basic Training. Never met any Hare Krishnas. My friend (a SF Giants fan) ran into Willie McCovey at the SF airport once.

I think of Greyhound bus depots when I hear "coin operated TVs".

I haven't flown in over 40 years. The last time I flew I had the hardest time getting my ears to pop. The pain was unbearable.

Not TV but movies - the life insurance kiosks were a part of the plot of the movie original 1970 "Airport", IIRC. The bomber (Van Heflin as "D.O. Guerrero") bought a lot of flight insurance before boarding, with the intention of bringing down the plane over the Atlantic, leaving the insurance proceeds for his widow.

All 1960 shows showing Airplanes had TWAs.

Dressing up isn’t done much for anything these days. Although many ads, movies, and TV shows from the 50s and early 60s overdid the dressing up bit. Look at Leave It To Beaver, they dress up to go to a football game. Although when I was in school in the late 50s to early 60s, I would go with my Mom on the train to downtown Philly to shop at the big department stores and I had to wear a coat and tie.

To quote the great Joni Mitchell,

...well something's lost, but something's gained
In living every day...

We used to buy airline insurance just for a particular flight, from a vending machine. My dad always thought the family would make quick money that way. He was not exactly an optimist anyway.

You also can no longer down a few pre-flight shots with your pilot. They've really gotten strict.

It says there are 18 Comments, but below this box I'm invited to "Be the first to leave a comment!"

Let's see what happens.

Back in the 50's, we took my grandmother to National Airport (Washington DC) to fly to, get this, Baltimore.

I can see there are 14 comments before my post but nothing below. It appears there is another problem this week with missing or only a few posts out of many. This appears on the newest quizzes and stories. On the older ones there are whole sections missing. This is only if you click on the above quiz or story. If you go there by way of notifications or your own personal feed, posts do appear.

Starting off on this story about airports. Things below that I remember.

1. Only using stairs- I do remember these long ago but what I remember most is a few of the sitting Presidents tumbling down them. Anyone remember any of them?

2. Smoking-I sure do remember smoking at the airports, airplane, bars and most anywhere one wished. I believe now they have non-smoking areas at most casinos. Other then that you really can not light up inside a public buildings.

3. Meeting at the gate. Now you have to be checked and re-checked so that only the passengers can get to the gate, sit and relax until boarding time. Some still carry weapons in carry on luggage. You would think they would no better---Nadda.

4. Hare Krishnas- Sure do remember them and the smell inside the airport. Hanging around singing or beating their gongs. Whatever their purpose was I soon forgot (like a minute later).

5. Remembering pay phones. You needed to use the them for a taxi (many outside), call your loved ones that you made it though I have not been to an airport to fly in 15+ years.

6. Free food- Do remember ordering food and or drink on long flights. A drink sure goes a long way to calm your nerves. Now days I do not think they should let any passengers aboard whom are intoxicated. It's The All About Me Era and some feel so entitled to have a ruckus or other serious problems. How many videos have we seen with unruly, fighting, cussing passengers. Too many-

7. Life insurance kiosks- These used to be all around the airport. Made you stop and think, what if? I can pay a few quarters for how much life insurance?

8. Coin operated TVs- Never seen coin operated ones on plane. usually had a screen up above or in the distances. Now you can just turn your Smart Phone on and have access to 500 different movies, shop on-line, read a book (you have 100 of those on SP), pay bills, listen to Classic Rock or even sleep to specialized music with buds or ear phones. Passes the time and you do not have to pay attention to the rest of the passengers. Are We There Already .

9. Dressing Up- Okay most did. They sure didn't wear the rear or leg jeans with holes in them, tank tops with some bars name on it or the R-Rated ones that wish to insult everyone. Some have even been thrown off for wearing quite revealing type clothing.

Next story should be the 10 best reasons why I (we) don't fly anymore---I bet some of you have great stories to tell. Now that I posted I will be able to see the other invisible posts